Glossary of Fleet Share Terms — Bike + Scooter Share

AXA — A SMARTLOCK manufacturer based out of the Netherlands that provides Electric Ring Locks (ERLs) for bikeshares.

BACKEND — The portion of a fleet share software utilized by the owners/managers of the fleet to manage user data, vehicle data, payments, etc.

BLUETOOTH — Wireless technology designed for exchanging data over short distances.

C.A.S.E. — An acronym that stands for “Connected, Autonomous, Shared, Electric.” Assumed to describe the future of MICROMOBILITY.

COVERAGE AREA — The area within a region where a fleet share offers its vehicles for use.

DECK — The part of an electric kick scooter on which a rider stands.

DOCK — The physical mechanism that immobilizes a fleet share vehicle until it is released by a rider. Also known as a PORT.

DOCKLESS — Systems that do not require a docking station. Vehicles can be parked within a defined space or along the sidewalk.

FIRST/LAST MILE — Historically, a trip associated with the connection between a transit hub (i.e. bus, rail) and a beginning/final destination. More recently, a trip between any destination and another modality of transportation associated with longer journeys (EG. Ride-share, parked automobile, etc.)

FLEET DENSITY — The ratio of the number of vehicles in a fleet based on the population in the coverage area (typically calculated on a per 1,000-person basis).

FLEET MANGEMENT SOFTWARE — The suite of programs (mobile apps and backend) used to enable a fleet share via a rider’s smartphone.

GDPR — An acronym standing for “General Data Protection Regulation.” GDPR is a regulation within the European Union that dictates the guidelines for how data must be stored in order to ensure security.

GEOFENCE — The digital boundaries created within a software platform that demarcate a coverage area or parking zones.

GIG-ECONOMY — In the context of fleet share, the as-needed services of individuals to collect, recharge, and rebalance the vehicles associated with a fleet. Different terms apply to these individuals based on the associated fleet. EG. CHARGER = Bird, JUICER = Lime.

HARDWARE AGNOSTICISM — The ability of a platform to integrate with different hardware, either from different manufacturers or associated with different modalities of transportation.

IoT DEVICE — Internet of Things Device — an electronic device that connects something, in this case a vehicle, to the internet. The IoT device will transmit geolocation, real-time battery level, etc. depending on the vehicle and its connection to it.

MaaS — An acronym standing for “Mobility as a Service.” The combination of various transportation services from public and private providers through a unified gateway that creates and manages the trip, which users can pay for with a single account

MDS — An acronym standing for “Mobility Data Specification.” A data standard (set of definitions) and API specification created by the City of Los Angeles for mobility-as-a-service providers.

MICROMOBILITY — A form of transportation that is electric, below 500kgs, and used primarily for utility rather than pleasure. Term coined by Horace Dediu.

MOBILE APP — The smartphone app that enables a rider to unlock and utilize a vehicle on an enabled fleet share.